Coal cutting, breaking, and loading mining machine



N. D. LEVIN Aug. 22, 1950 COAL CUTTING, BREAKING, AND LOADING MINING MACHINE 12 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed March 19, 1947 v. TE 10 V m N, Y 5

Aug. 22, 1950 N. D. LEVIN 2,520,040

COAL CUTTING, BREAKING, AND LOADING MINING MACHINE 12 SheetsSheet 5 Filed March 19, 1947 HTT'Y Aug. 22, 1950 N. D. LEVIN 2,520,040

COAL CUTTING, BREAKING, AND LOADING MINING MACHINE Filed March 19, 1947 12 Sheets-Sheet 4 N. D. LEVIN Aug. 22, 1950 COAL CUTTING, BREAKING, AND LOADING MINING MACHINE l2 Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed March 19, 1947 E); m m 50 s -u N N. D' LEVIN Aug. 22, 1950 COAL CUTTING, BREAKING, AND LOADING MINING MACHINE l2 Sheets-Sheet 6 Filed March 19, 1947 WWW/- N. D. LEVIN Aug. 22, 1950 COAL CUTTING, BREAKING, AND LOADING MINING MACHINE Filed March 19, 1947 12 Sheets-Sheet 8 flyvzwrroe; NILS D. LEVIN,

ka/{M N. D. LEVIN Aug. 22, 1950 COAL CUTTING, BREAKING, AND LOADING MINING MACHINE 12 Sheets-Sheet 9 Filed March 19, 1947 HTT'Y T m N MNN m NILJS D. LEVIN,

Aug. 22, 1950 N. D. LEVIN 2,520,040

COAL CUTTING, BREAKING, AND LOADING MINING MACHINE Filed March 19, 1947 12 Sheets-Sheet. 1o

ATT'Y N. D. LEVIN Aug. 22, 1950 COAL CUTTING, BREAKING, AND LOADING MINING MACHINE Filed March 19, 1947 12 Sheets-Sheet 11 rvPm Ow m NPM .UUm mPm APPM El I I W QUN W. FN MVN imam r ww Wm? Sum \IwN mww HTT'X 12 Sheets-Sheet 12 LEVI N COAL CUTTING, BREAKING, AND LOADING MINING MACHINE am o v E N M E N8 w W M m M N Y a a 0 3m f 5N MANN 8M N2 2v 3 Aug. 22, 1950 Filed March 19, 1947 I Patented Aug. 22, 1950 GOAL CUTTING, BREAKING, AND LOADING MINING MACHINE Nils D. Levin, Columbus, Ohio, asslgnor to The Jeflrey Manufacturing Company, a corporation of Ohio Application March 19, 1947, Serial No. 735,751

1 Claim.

This invention relates to a combination cutting, breaking and loading machine which is adapted to cut, break, gather and load coal, the cutting, breaking and gathering taking place at the face of a mine room, the loading being into a mine car, buggy or the like.

An object of the invention, therefore, is to provide an improved mining machine of the above general type.

to convey loose and/or broken coal rearwardly thereover wherein an endless chain conveyer cooperates with the rear portion of said endless chain bottom kert cutter and conveyer to convey coal thereover, the bottom keit cutter and conveyer and the co-operating conveyer both being divided and mounted for swinging adjustment about a horizontal axis with at least one of them including automatic means for adjust- Another object of the invention is to provide a ing the len of its chain guide means W e dmining machine capable of cutting, breaking and jus ed to different positions about the horizont l gathering coal, which is extremely flexible in axis. operation and includes mechanism for making 2. Another object of t invention is to provide bottom kerf in solid coal and an additional or an improved coal uttin br a in a d l adi supplemental mechanism for mining which bores machine including a kerf cutter and conveyer and breaks down solid coal above the bottom adapted to out a bottom keri and to conken vey loose and/or broken coal rearwardly either Another object of the invention is to provide with or without additional or supp n l ker! an improved mining machine capable of cutting, u er means, but with a power operated drill breaking and gathering solid coal, which i and expansion device adapted to bore and break tremely flexible in operation and includes a botby p on So d 0 911 above the bottom keri tom kerf cutter and conveyer adapted to cut a cutter and conveyer. the P e pe a ed drill bottom kerf and to convey loose and/or broken and expansion device being pre mounted coal rearwardly in combination with one but for Vertical Swinging a justment at various preferably two spaced kerf cutters adapted to angles above the b m e utter and for reccut an upright kerf or spaced kerfs above the filineer feeding ovement. bottom kert and a power operated drill and ex- A f r her object of the invention is to propansion device for breaking down the solid coal v a v flexible b on minin and loadabove the bottom kerf whereby the broken coal mg machine which s c on mechanism will be conveyed rearwardly by the bottom kerf adapted t0 Produce reverse and Swinging m veo tte d conveyer, ments of the mining machine and in which coal In r in t t foregglng object t 1 is cut and gathered by a combination cutting and other object of the invention to provide an imgathering a ism and is delivered rearproved mining machine as set forth wherein the weirdly by a discharge conveyer p e e ably havupright kerf cutters carry power driven endless mg a laterally Swinging 0 keri cutter chains arid are pivoted for upright Another object of the invention is to P v swinging movement wherein there is preferably an improved rotary drill and expansion device provided means for controlling the operation at for boring and breaking Solid eeei y pa s onleast of one of said kerf cutter chains independ- Still another Object of e invention is o p eent1 f th th r vide an improved power means for driving a ro- Another object oi. the invention is to provide y drill d hyd xp nsi m ans.

an improved mining machine capable of cutting, Other objects o the invention w ppear breaking and gatherin solid coal, which is hereinafter, the novel features and combinations tremely flexible in operation and includes a botbeing set fo h in h app claimtom kerf cutter and a conveyer adapted to out In the accompanying drawings, a bottom kerf and to convey loose and/or broken Figs- 1 and 2 pieced end to d n itut a coal rearwardly and to provide a conveyer adja- Side View largely in ection, though partly in cent the rear portion of the bottom kerf cutter elevation, of the combination cutting, breaking and conveyer means for co-operating with the and loading mach n p ng the invention; latter in conveying loose and/or broken coal Fig. 3 is a perspective view of the machine of rearwardly thereover. Figs. 1 and 2. with parts in section;

Another object of the invention is to provide Fig. 4 is a side view in elevation of the me.- an improved coal cutting. breaking and loading chine shown in Fig. 3, with a portion of a mine machine including an endless chain kerf cutter room in which the machine is operating shown and conveyer adapted to cut a bottom keri and in phantom;

Fig. 5 is a detail view in section, showing the operating mechanism for th main clutch;

Fig. 6 is a sectional view taken on the line 68 of Fig. 1. looking in the direction of the arrows; Fig. 7 is a sectional view taken on the line 1-4 of Fig. 1, looking in the direction of the arrows;

Fig. 8 is a sectional view taken on the line 8-8 of Fig. 2, looking in the direction of the arrows, some parts being omitted in the interest of clearness;

Fig. 9 is a sectional view taken on the line 8-9 of Fig. 2 of the drawings, looking in the direction of the arrows, with parts omitted;

Fig. 10 is a sectional view taken on the line Ill-H) of Fig. 2 of the drawings, looking in the direction of the arrows, with parts omitted;

Fig. 11 is a sectional view taken on the line of Fig. 2 of the drawings, looking in the direction of the arrows;

Fig. 12 is a fragmentary sectional view through the bottom kerf cutter and conveyer mechanism of the mining machine, some parts being omitted in the interest of clearness, the view being taken on a vertical plane upon which line |2--|2 of Fig. 3 lies;

Fig. 13 is a view partly in section and partly in elevation of a rotary drill and hydraulic expansion coal mining tool of the machine;

Fig. 14 is a view in horizontal section of the motor for carrying and driving the tool seen in Fig. 13, some parts being omitted in the interest of clearness; and

Fig. 15 is a piping diagram of the hydraulic system of the invention.

This invention is an improvement upon the machine shown and described by Sterling C. Moon in his co-pending application Serial No. 475,274 filed February 9, 1943, entitled Cutting and Loading Machine, now abandoned, and follows the structure thereof except for differences shown or described.

Referring to the accompanying drawings, the combination mining, breaking and loading machine of the invention includes a main frame which is formed by a pair of longitudinally extending spaced-apart main frame plates 2|, 2| (see Figs. 6 to 11, inclusive). These longitudinally extending main frame plates 2|,. 2| are connected together by a number of transversely extending plates, for example, there is a transversely extending sloping top plate 22 which is seen in Figs. 1, 2 and 9 of the drawings, which extends between the plates 2|, 2| and is rigidly attached thereto by welding along the edges of said sloping top plate 22. This plate 22 may be considered as the principal top plate interconnecting the main frame plates 2|, 2| to form the main frame 20.

There is also a main bottom plate which is substantially horizontal and which is seen at 23 in Figs. 1 and 2 of the drawings, and this bottom plate is also seen in Figs. 6 and 7 of the drawings. As clearly seen in Figs. 1, 2, 6 and 7, the bottom plate 23 is actually fabricated from a number of plates which are welded together, this fabrication being done to provide clearance for certain gearing contained within the housing which is formed by the main frame 20.

Adjacent the rear end of the housing or main frame 20 there is a removable transversely extending top plate 24, best seen in Figs. 1 and 6 of the drawings, this plate being removable to permit access to the mechanism contained within the housing formed by said main frame 20. The rear end of the main frame or housing 20 is formed by an upright transversely extending rear plate 25, best seen in Fig. l of the drawings. The forward end of the main frame or housing 20 is also provided with an upright transversely extending front plate 26, best seen in Fig. 2 of the drawings. Various other plates which constitute integral portions of the main frame 20 are described hereinafter.

The main frame 20 also contains lateral extensions which provide support for traction means preferably in the form of endless or crawler tracks and also provide support for certain other mechanism as hereinafter described. One of these extensions is seen at 21 in Fig. 3 of the drawings, said extensions being clearly visible, at least in part, in a number of the other figures of drawings, including Figs. 6 to 11, inclusive.

The mining machine is generally similar on the two opposite sides and consequently there is an extension 28 on the left-hand side of the machine as it is viewed in several figures, which is similar to the extension 21. Extensions 21 and 28 being similar in construction, a description of one will suflice for the two. As seen, for example, in Figs. 3 and 9 of the drawings, there is an outer or extension plate 29 which extends substantially upright, and this extension plate 23 is connected to the adjacent main frame plate 2| by a number of transverse plates, one of which is seen at 30 in Fig. 9 of the drawings.

The main frame 20 is mounted on a pair of crawlers or endless chain traction devices 3|, 32 which are of similar construction, the crawler 3| being on the right-hand side of the vehicle as viewed in the drawings, and the crawler 32 being on the left-hand side thereof. Since these crawlers 3|, 32 are of similar construction, a description of one will suillce for both. Said crawler 3| includes an endless chain 33 which supports the main frame 20 through a plurality of rollers 34 which are mounted upon journal bearings and extend outwardly from the adjacent frame member 2| toward the outer plate 23, as clearly illustrated in Fig. 7 of the drawings. The outer ends of the supporting shafts for the rollers 34 are carried by a longitudinally extending plate 35 which is welded to top and bottom plates, clearly illustrated in Fig. 7 of the drawings, which in turn are welded to the main frame plate 2| and outer plate 23.

As clearly illustrated in Fig. 2 of the drawings, the rollers 34 do not extend the full length of the main frame 20, and forwardly of the last of said rollers 34 there is a U-shaped wear shoe 36 (see Fig. 11) adjacent said forward end of the main frame 20 over which the top of the lower run of the chain 33 travels. Since this portion of the lower run of the chain is normally out of engagement with the ground, there will not be excessive friction due to this sliding relation between the chain 33 and the shoe The foremost portion of the endless chain 33 is preferably mounted upon a take-up idler roller not illustrated, which can be adjusted to maintain proper tension on said chain 33. The upper or return run of the chain 33 is supported in part upon an idler roller 31 (see Fig. 11) which is Journaled to a bracket 38 which in turn is bolted to main frame plate 2|, the roller 31 having a removable retainingcap 39 which is attached by screws to the journal neck of the bracket 38. The principal portion of the return run of the chain 33 is slidably supported on a supporting plate 40 (see Figs. 7, 8 and 9), which plate 40 is supported from the adjacent main frame plate 2|. 1

A longitudinally extending cover plate 4| (see Fig. 8) is provided which co-operates with the plate 40 substantially to enclose the return run of said chain 33. The mechanism for driving the crawlers will be described in detail hereinafter.

Extending rearwardly from the main body of the main frame 20 and rigidly attached thereto as by welding, consequently forming an integral part thereof, is a rear platform 42 (see Figs. 1 and 4). Mounted upon the platform 42 is an electric motor 43.

Adjacent its forward end the machine is provided with what is essentially a pair of spacedapart cutter bars 44, 45, which cutter bars have the double function of cutting a deep bottom kerf in solid coal and conveying the loose coal rearwardly to the receiving end of a receiving, discharge or elevator conveyer designated generally by the reference character 46, the structure of which is described hereinafter more completely.

The cutter bars 44 and 45 are divided and have their rear ends mounted upon a common transversely extending sloping plate 41 (see Figs. 2 and 11), which plate 41 is welded to the main frame plates 2| as well as to the extensions 21 and 28 including the plate 29 of the former. As a consequence, the rear ends of the cutter bars 44 and 45 are connected as a unit, and as clearly seen in Fig. 11 of the drawings, said cutter bars 44 and 45 have their bottoms spaced above the plate 4? by means of spacer plates 45 so that a coal conveying trough or way 49 is formed be tween the two cutter bars 44 and 45, said plate 41 forming a bottom for said trough or way at the rear portion thereof.

While the rear portion or section of each of the cutter bars 44 and 45 is stationary with respect to the main frame 20, the principal or front portion of each of said cutter bars, including the central upwardly sloping portion and the front generally horizontal portion, is pivotally mounted as a unit about a horizontal axis so that the central and forward portions of said cutter bars 44 and 45 can be swingably adjusted about said horizontal axis, thus adjusting the position of the bottom kerf cut by the cutter bars 44 and 45.

The pivotal mounting of said central and forward portions of the cutter bars 44 and 45 is provided by spaced pivot joints between a common bottom plate frame member 50 (see Figs. 2, 3, 4 and 12) which rigidly and permanently connects the central portions of the cutter bars 44 and 45 and which is provided with pivot arms, one of which is seen at in Fig. 3 of the drawings, which are pivoted to the frame extensions 21, 28, the pivotal connection to the plate 29 of frame extension 27 being seen at 52 in Fig. 3 of the drawings, there being a similar connection between the plate 56 and extension 28, seen at 52' in Fig. 4.

The bottom plate 56 not only permanently connects the central portions of the cutter bars 44 and 45 together but it also forms a bottom plate for the trough 49 which trough extends not only adjacent the stationary portion of the cutter bars 44 and 45, as illustrated in Fig. 11 of the drawings, but also extends adjacent the rear portions of the cutter bars 44 and 45 which are permanently connected together, as clearly illustrated in Fig. 3 of the drawings; the bottom plates of said cutter bars 44 and 45 being spaced above the plate 50 by spacer plates 53 similar to the above described spacer plates 48.

In other words, each of the cutter bars 44 and 45 is provided with a rear portion which is rigidly connected to the main frame 20 while the central and forward portions thereof are pivotally mounted as a unit about a horizontal axis, thereby permitting swinging adjustment thereof "with respect to said main frame 20. In addition and as clearly illustrated in Fig. 3 of the drawings, each of the cutter bars 44 and 45 is preferably provided with a forward adjustable shoe to ad- Just the tension of the combination krf cutting and conveying chain associated therewith, there being such a chain 54 associated with the cutter bar 44 and such a chain 55 associated with the cutter bar 45.

The endless cutter chains 54 and 55 are of similar structure but they travel orbitally in opposite directions, the former clockwise, the latter counterclockwise, and each includes a plurality of removable cutter bits, those of the chain 54 being seen at 56. The bits 56 are fanned out in a conventional manner and are effective not only to cut a kerf at the bottom or floor of the mine room as the entire machine is fed forwardly, but in addition they act to convey material along the trough 49 and discharge it to the receiving, discharge or elevator conveyer 46. It is, of course, evident, particularly by reference to Fig. 2 of the drawings, that the trough 49 is bottomless adjacent the forward portion wherein the cutter bars 44 and 45 are substantially horizontal. Under the bottomless forward portion the mine floor will form the effective bottom of the trough through which the material is conveyed until it reaches the plate 50 over which it will travel to the stationary plate 41 until discharged. The driving mechanism for the cutter chains 54 and 55 is described in detail hereinafter.

Pivotal movement of the pivoted part of the two cutter bars 44 and 45 which are connected together as a unit, is provided by a hydraulic piston motor 58, the cylinder of which is pivotally attached to a bracket which is positioned adjacent the forward end of the main frame 20 and just forward of the front plate 26 thereof, as clearly seen by reference to Fig. 2 of the drawings, the piston of said motor 58 being pivotally attached to a pivot pin 59 carried in a bracket formed on the bottom plate 50. It is obvious that the bottom plate 50 and those parts rigidly attached to it, including the two cutter bars 44 and 45, and other associated parts to be hereinafter described, constitute a supplemental or auxiliary frame which is pivotally attached to the main frame 20 and is swingable with respect thereto about a horizontal axis.

It may also be mentioned that since a portion of the cutter bars 44 and 45 is swingable with respect to another portion. the cutter chains 54 and 55 are of the universal type. This is also required by the fact that the two cutter bars 44 and 45 do not lie in a single horizontal plane.

Mounted upon the upwardly sloping portions of the spaced cutter bars 44 and 45 and in stacked relation therewith are a pair of endless chain conveyers, the endless chain conveyer above the cutter bar 44 being indicated generally at 265 and the conveyer above the cutter bar 45 being indicated generally at 266 (see Figs. 3 and 11). The endless chain conveyers 265 and 266 each includes an orbitally moving endless chain, links of which include outwardly extending portions or flights adapted to co-operate with those portions of the kerf cutter and conveyer chains 64 and 66 which are moving rearwardly in the way 48 and with each other in conveying loose and/or broken coal upwardly rearwardly in and along the way and for discharging it therefrom to the receiving end of the receiving, discharge or conveyer elevator 46. endless chain conveyers 266 and 266 is similar, a description of conveyer 266 (seen in Figs. 2, 3, 11 and 12) will sufllce for both conveyers.

Referring now to Figs. 11 and 12, endless chain conveyer mechanism 266 includes a divided endless chain gulde structure 261 having a rear portion or section 266 and a front portion or section 266. Rear portion 268 of guide structure 261 is carried directly by the rear portion of cutter bar 44 which is mounted upon sloping main frame plate 41. The rear portion of the cutter bar chain guide and rear portion 268 of the conveyer chain guide are similar in construction and the rear portion of the cutter bar chain guide, as previously described, is spaced above the sloping main frame plate 41 by spacers 48. The rear portion of the cutter bar 44 is a hollow structure including a bottom plate 210 supported by the spacers 48 and cross spacers 21l, inwardly spaced upright side wall members 212, cross spacer 218 and a top plate 214. Top plate 214, bottom plate 216 and the upright side wall members 212 co-operate to form chain guide channels in opposite sides of the cutter bar rear section in which the kerf cutter and conveyer chain 54 operates and chain guide wear strips 216 are secured to both top and bottom plates 214 and 216 for guiding the kerf cutter and conveyer chain 64 along the channels. The members of the rear portion of the cutter bar 44 are secured together and to the sloping main frame plate 41 by a plurality of bolts.

A pair of upright spacer members 216 are carried by top plate 214 of the rear portion of the cutter bar 44 and are secured thereto by a plu- Since the structure of the rality of bolts 211 which extend through the top wear strips 216, the top plate 214 and are threaded into the upright spacer members 216. These upright spacer members 216 together with cross spacers 218 welded to the top plate 214 carry the 261 includes a bottom plate 216, spaced upright side wall members 280, a cross member 281 welded to the bottom plate 216, and a top plate 262 which, like the members of the rear portions of the cutter bar, co-operate to form conveyer chain guide channels in opposite sides of the rear conveyer chain guide portion 266 and in which conveyer chain guiding wear strips 286 are pro-, vided for guiding the endless chain of conveyer 266. The bottom plate 216 is bolted to the upright spacers 216 by bolts 284 that extend through the bottom wear strips 286, and to the cross spacers 216 by bolts 264' (see Fig. 11). The forward ends of both of the top plates 214 and 282 as well as both of the bottom plates 216 and 216 are bent to form tapered chain guide sections at the forward end of chain guide portion 268.

The construction of the forward or principal portion of each of the cutter bar chain guides is similar to that of the described rear portions thereof and, as set forth previously, the front or principal portions of the cutter bars 44 and 46 include a common bottom plate 66 which rigidly and permanently connects and spaces them apart and by which they are pivoted to the main frame 28 and consequently to their rear portions for swinging adjustment about a horizontal axis, the axis extending through the centers of the pivotal connections indicated at 62 in Figs. 3 and i2 and at 62 in Fig. 4.

Referring particularly to Fig. 12, the horizontal axis about which the principal portion of the cutter bars is adjustable is indicated at 264 and lies Just forward of the rear cutter bar portion and it forms or lies at the intersection of horizontal planes taken centrally through the height of the conveyer chain guide channels of both the rear portion and the central portion of the cutter bars 44 and 46. Thus the distance between the front and rear portions of the cutter bars taken along the mentioned planes will remain constant. for all swinging adjustments of the principal portion of the cutter bars about the axis 264.

Mounted in stacked relation with and above the rear upwardly sloping portion of the front or principal section of the cutter bar 44 is the front or forward portion 269 of the conveyer chain guide 261 of the endless chain conveyer 266. Portion 266 of the conveyer chain guide 261 is spaced above the top plate 286 of the central portion of the cutter bar 44 by a generally rectangular frame including a rear cross spacer member 286, a front cross spacer member 281, and a pair of side spacer members 288 welded to the top plate 286 of the cutter bar 44. The rectangular frame including side spacer members 268, like upright spacer members 216, functions to deepen the conveyer trough or way 48 above the kerf cutter and conveyer chains 64 and 66. Spanning and secured to the side spacer members above the rear cross spacer member 266 and bolted to the latter is a fixed bottom plate member 286 to which there is welded an upright cross member 266 which with a pair of upright side spacer members 261 supports a top plate 262. Side members 261 like side members 266 of rear portion 268 of the chain guide 261 ccoperate with the top and bottom plates 286, 282 to form oppositely disposed conveyer chain side guide channels and the top and bottom plates 286, 262 have their rear ends bent to form tapering chain guide portions at the rear of portion 266. Each plate 286, 262 carries a chain guiding wear strip 262. The spaced upright side members 268 are notched to receive a bed plate 264 which is bolted thereto and extends forwardly over the top of front spacer member 281.

A boxlike front or nose structure 266 is carried for forward and rearward rectilinear movement upon the bed plate 264. Boxlilce structure 266 includes a bottom' plate 266, a rear upright cross spacer member 261, a front upright cross spacer member 268, a pair of upright side wall members 266 and a top plate 860. Side wall members 266 and front spacer 268 co-operate with plates 868 and 266 to form a continuous chain guide channel extending along the opposite sides and the front of the boxlike structure 266.

It is to be noted that the front ends of the boxlike structure of both of the endless chain conveyers 266 and 266 are blunt or flat at their forward ends with rounded corners (see Fig. 3) in order that the endless chains of conveyers 266 and 266 which operate orbitally in the guide channels and travel in the same directions as the kerf cutter and conveyer chains 64 and 66 will have a sweeping gathering motion over a broad front and will convey loose and/or broken coal above the bottom kerf cutter element and on the kerf cutter bars 44 and 45 to the center of the bottom kerf cutting element where said material will be caused to enter the deepened conveyer trough or way 49 above and between the kerf cutter bars 44 and 45. the loose coal being conveyed rearwardly thereinand discharged into the receiving. discharge, or elevator conveyor 46, conveyers 265, 266 aiding the uphill travel of coal.

Referring again to Fig. 12, because the rear member 263 of divided endless conveyer chain guide 261 is stationarily mounted above and in stacked relation with the rear portion of the cutter bar 44 and the front portion 269 thereof is mounted to the front or principal portion of the cutter bar 44 in a similar manner, the distance between the front and rear ends of the chain guide members 261 taken in planes through the chain guide channels thereof will change as the front or principal portion of the cutter bar 44 is adjusted about horizontal axis 264. It'

is necessary to maintain the ends of the conveyer guide members a constant distance apart during adjustment and in all adjustment positions of the principal portion of the bottom kerf cutter bar 44 about axis 264. To this end the bottom plate 296 of boxlike structure 295 is slotted at 30! to receive a pair of headed pins 302 that are threaded through bed plate 294 and locked therein by nuts. Slot 30i together with headed'pins 302 provide for guided forward and rearward movement of the boxlike structure 295 on bed plate 294 while maintaining the structure in alignment with the rear side chain guide channels of the forward guide member 269.

The top plate supporting and spacer member 290 has on its front side a boss 303 and the rear upright spacer 291 of boxlike member 295 has upon its rear surface or face a boss 304 that is in alignment with the boss 303. Bosses 303 and 304 receive the opposite ends of a heavy compression spring 305 which functions to urge boxlike structure 295 forwardly against the chain of conveyer 265. The chain limits the forward rrovement of the boxlike structure and the spring 305 maintains it under tension. A plate 426 closes the space between'the top plates 292 and 300 above the spr ng 305. Preferably a divided peaked shield 51 is provided above each of the conveyors 265 and 266, the primary function of which is to direct coal which tends to accumulate thereabove into the central conveyer trough or way 49. The endless chain of conveyer 265 operates over and is driven by a sprocket 303 at the rear of chain guide section 266 and kerf cutter chain 54 operates over a sprocket I64 (see Figs. and 12). Sprockets 306 and I64 are formed upon a common hub and are of equal d ameters in order that the endless chains of conveyer 265 and the endless kerf cutter and conveyer chains 54 will be driven in the same direction at equal speeds. If desired suitable covers '306 and 301 may be provided (see Fig. 4) for housing the outside forwardly moving runs of both endless conveyer chains of conveyers 265 and 266 as well as both kerf cutter and conveyer chains 54 and 55. g t

The mining machine thus far described, except for the additional endless chain conveyers 265, 266 which form a part of the present invention, is identical to the machine described by Sterling C. Moon in his application, Serial No. 475,274, previously set forth.

Another important feature of this invention is the provision of a pair of spaced endless chain type shear kerf cutter bars 309 and M0 (see Figs. 3 and 4) carried pivotally at the forward end of the main frame 20, spaced one at each side thereof for swinging movement about a horizontal axis, and extending forwardly from the main frame 20 above the bottom kerf cutter element for cutting spaced upright or shear kerfs in solid coal above and connecting with the sides of a bottom kerf which has been out by the bottom kerf cutter element.

The construction of the upright kerf cutter bars 309 and M0 as well as the pivotal mounting and driving means therefor are similar, and therefore a description of cutter bar 3l0 will suffice for both of the cutter bars. The main frame 3 of upright kerf cutter bar 3i0 is a welded boxlike arm structure including an inside main plate 3l2, an outside plate 3l3, and a pair of oppositely disposed top and bottom spacer strips 3 welded between plates 3l'2 and 3" and co-operating with the latter to provide endless kerf cutter chain guide channels in the top and bottom edges thereof. Suitable chain guiding wear strips are provided in these chamnels (see Fig. 3). The forward end of the main frame 3 carries a nose portion 3l5, seen in Fig. 4, that telescopes therewith and is adjust able therein to tension properly the endless kerf cutter chain 3l6 which operates in the chain guide channels and over the nose portion 3i5.

Inside main frame plate 3l2 includes or has connectedto it a rearwardly extending portion or tongue 3" bywhlch it is pivotally supported (see Fig. 10). and to which an inner plate 3|. of a cutter bar swinging and cover structure M9 is welded. Tongue 3l1 is pivotally carried through a hub assembly 320 that is a part of the main frame 20 of the mining machine. Hub assembly 320 includes a shoulder ring 32l welded along its edge to the outer extension plate 29 of main frame 20, a disc 322 welded to ring 32i having a central opening 323 in which there is a bearing holder. 324, and a tubular housing 325 extending inwardly axia ly from about the central o ening 323 welded to the inner side ofthe disc 322. The inner end of tubular housing 325 includes a bearing holder 326 and is connected to the main plate 2| of main frame 20by a welded assembly including plates 321, 326 and a shoulder member 329. A slotted sloping cover 330 is welded at its upper edge to plate 321 and at its lower edge to the top of housing 325. Housing 325 beneath the slot in cover 330 carries a lubricant fitting through which lubricant may be introduced 'into the housing 325.

Tongue 3I'l of cutter bar 3!!! is carried for swinging movement upon the shoulder ring HI and disc 322 of the hub assembly 320 through a renewable collar bearing 33l, the outer ring 332 .of which is, for the most part, carried upon a shoulder disc 333 bolted directly to disc 322. Cutter bar swinging and cover structure M9 includes a pair of depending spaced arms 334 and 335 the latter of which is an integral part of plate 3l8 (see Fig. 3). At the bottom and between the arms. 334 and 335 the end of a piston rod 336 of a double acting hydraulic cylinder type motor 331 is pivoted. The double acting hydraulic motor 331 is positioned rearwardly of the arms 334 and 335 and below an operator's platform or step 336 formed by the main frame 26 and is pivotally mounted to the latter at its rear end through a bracket 339. It will be obvious that as the hydraulic motor 331 is expanded its piston rod 335 will move outwardly to rotate the cutter bar structure 3|0 in a counter-clockwise direction as seen in Fig. 3 upon the hub assembly 328 to raise, pivot or swing the cutter bar 3 In in an upright plane or about the central axis of the hub assembly 320 and that as the hydraulic motor 331 is contracted the cutter bar 3|8 will be lowered or swung in a counter-clockwise direction. Cutter bar 388 is swung by hydraulic motor 331'.

Extending through the tubular housing 325 is a stepped cutter chain drive shaft 340. Adjacent its outer end the drive shaft 348 carries an anti-friction bearing 3 which is received by the bearing retaining holder 324 of disc 322. The inner end of drive shaft 348 carries an anti-friction bearing 342 which is received by the inner bearing retaining holder 328 at the inner end of the housing 325. The inner end of drive shaft 348 carries a bevel gear 343 keyed thereto by a key 344 and clamped against-bearing 342 by a nut. Bevel gear 343 meshes with a bevel gear 348 keyed to and carried by upright shaft I59 which drives the bottom kerf cutting and conveyer chain sprocket I64 as well as the sprocket 388 of the upper conveyor 285. (The gearing, clutches, etc., connecting shaft I59 to the driving motor 43 are fully discussed hereinafter.)

The outer end of drive shaft 348 carries a flanged disc 341 which co-operates with flanges formed in the collar disc 333 to form a labyrinth type lubricant seal at the outside of bearing 34L A kerf cutter chain drive sprocket 348 is bearinged for free rotation upon an outer central extension 349 of flanged disc 341 and manually operated clutch mechanism 35!! connects the sprocket 348 and shaft 340. By selectively connecting or disconnecting the kerf cutter chain drive sprocket 348 and shaft 340, clutch 358 controls the operation or driving of kerf cutter chain 3|8 by electric motor 437 The details of clutch 358 are shown at the left-hand side of Fig. 10 of the drawings and this clutch includes a slotted flange 35| formed on the outer end of shaft 340. A suitable locking disc 352 having a plurality of radially spaced sidewardly projecting fingers or lugs 353 which extend through the slots of flange 35| engage fingers or lugs 354 formed as integral parts of the hub of sprocket 348. 352 is rotatably carried by a shaft 355 threaded centrallv into the outer end of the drive shaft 340 and carrying an outer disc by which the threaded shaft 355 may be rotated manually to withdraw or engage the fin ers 353 of the locking disc 352 with the fingers 354 of sprockt 348. A suitable cover 358 for the rear end of kerf cutter chain 3|8 and drive spro ket 348 is provided, said cover telescoping withea flange of the cutter bar swinging structure 3|3 and secured thereto by bolts. not shown. Access to locking disc 352 of clutch 350 ma" be had through an opening 345 in each cover 358.

In addition to providing for the cutting of a bottom kerf, the s aced upright kerfs connecting with the cut bottom kerf, and the conveying rearwardly of coal cut by the kerf cutters as well as coal otherwise fractured, I provide an additional or su p emental mining mechanism 8') which is ada ted to drill or bore into solid coal above the bottom kerf cutter between the spaced upright or shear kerf cutters either during or after the said kerfs have been cut and to then break down the coal by expansion. The supplemental mining mechanism 88 includes a sec- Locking disc Bil ondary or additional supplemental frame 8| pivoted for swinging movement about a horizontal axis which substantially coincides with the horizontal axis about which shear cutters 388, 3" swing, i. e., the common axis of shafts 348. At its oposite sides, frame 8| has a pair of downwardly extending arms 82 and 83 which at their lower ends are carried through split bearing collars 351 and 358, respectively, by flanged discs 359 welded to the tubular housings 325 in the main frame extensions 21 and 28 (see Fig. 10). Adjustment of the secondary frame 8| about its pivotal axis is provided by a pair of double acting piston motors 88 and 81 the cylinders of which are pivotally connected to brackets one of which is seen at 68 in Fig. 4 of the drawings, which brackets are supported from the oposite steps or operator's platforms 333 on the mining machine main frame 28. The upper ends of the pistons of the hydraulic motors 88 and 81 are pivotally attached to brackets 88 and 18 formed on oposite sides of the rear portion of the secondary frame 8|.

Pivotally mounted on the supplemental frame 8| and in fact forming a part thereof is a pivot plate 1| forming part of a turntable (see Fig. 2) which is journaled on a pivot ring 12; the plate 1| being swingable about the pivot ring 12 by a double acting hydraulic motor 13 which is preferably housed largely within the housing-like hollow structure of the secondary frame 8|. The front end of pivot plate 1| rides and slides sidewardly pivotally upon an arcuate support or bearing bar 432 carried by the front of the top plate of frame 8| and the plate 1| is provided at its front end upon its top surface with a stop block 433. Slldable longitudinally in channel guides 14 formed on the plate 1| is a slide plate 15 which in turn is provided with channel guides 16 in which is slidably mounted a slide assembly 11. Slide plate 15 carries upon its bottom surface a stop block 434, which is adapted to abut stop block 433 of pivot plate 1| for limiting the forward movement of slide plate 15, and upon its top surface a front top stop block 435 and a rear stop block 436. Slide assembly 11 includes a bottom plate 388 and a similar but slightly smaller and thicker top plate 38I spaced apart at the rear of their side edges by slide blocks 382 which slide in side channel guides 18 of plate 15. A spacer block 88 spaces the front edges of plates 368 and 38| apart. A stop block 431 on the underside of plate 388 operates between stop blocks 436 and 435.

In operation, when the slide assembly 11 is moved to its outermost or forward position, stop block 434 engages stop block 433 to limit the forward movement of plate 15 and stop block 431 engages stop block 435 to limit the forward movement of slide assembly 11. When slide assembly 1'! is moved rearwardly stop 431 engages stop 438 to retract plate 15.

Mounted upon the slide assembly 11 is a combination motor driven rotary drill and hydraulic coal breakdown device 18. The extension slide plate 15 and the extension slide assembly 11 provide for extended telescop c longitudinal sliding movement of the drill and hydraulic breakdown device 18 so as to feed it forwardly whereby it will bore into solid coal above the bottom kerf cutter to a position wherein its hydraulically expandible head portion 480 may be operated to break the said solid coal by expansion.

The lon-itud nal feeding movement of the combination rotary drill and hydraulic expandible coal breakdown device 18 is provided by a double acting hydraulic feed motor or cylinder "which is pivotally attached at its rear end to the rear end of the plate 11 and at its forward end in the spacer block 88 at the forward central portion of the slide assembly 11. Because the secondary frame 61 is swingable about a horizontal axis and plate 11 which is carried by frame 61 is swingable about an upright axis it is obvious that the combination powered drill and hydraulic coal breakdown device 18 is swingable at various angles above the bottom kerf cutter bars 44 and 45 and thus the combination rotary drill and hydraulically' expandible coal breakdown device 18 may be swung to position the drill and its hydraulically expandible head over an appreciable portion of the mine face which has been undercut by the cutter mechanisms 44, 46, etc.

The drill of mechanism 18 including its hydraulically expandible head mechanism is shown in Fig. 13 and the driving motor mechanism for said drill is shown in Fig. 14 of the drawings. The driving motor is permissible, that is, it is of explosionproof construction and it includes a housing 363 which includes a central portion, a rear portion 364, and a front portion 386. The central portion of the motor housing includes a transverse partition 311 from the center of which there extends rearwardly a tubular shaft housing 366. The rear portion 364 of housing 383 includes a forwardly extending tubular shaft housing 361 which abuts and seals with the end of the housing 366. The rear end of housing 361 is bored to receive an anti-friction bearing 368 and the front portion 365 of the motor housin 363 is bored to receive an anti-friction bearin 368. Bearings 368 and 369 each includes a suitable seal for preventing the loss of lubricant from a gear chamber 318 formed by the transverse partition 311 and the front housing portion 365. Bearings 368 and 369 carry a shaft 312 which extends through the front portion 365 of the motor housing, the tubular shaft housing and through the rear wall of rear housing portion 364. Within the gear chamber 318 the shaft 312 carries a gear 313 which is spaced from the partition 311 through an anti-friction thrust bearing 314 carried by a boss formed on the forward end of tubular ho ing portion 366. Gear 313 is driven by a pal of armatures 315 and 316 of a pair of spacetlelectric motors contained within the motor hous g 363. For the sake of simplicity only the motor armatures 315, 316 of the electric motors are shown. The motor armatures 315 and 316 are carried at their forward ends in anti-friction bearings received in cups 311 formed in the motor housing partition 311 and the rear ends of armature shafts 315 and 316 are carried by anti-friction bearings supported in the rear wall of rear motor housing portion 364. The armature suppo ting hearings in the rear housing portion 364 are secured to the rear ends of armature shafts 315 and 318 by nuts and are covered by plates attached to the rear end of the housing section. Suitable lubricant retainers are provided for preventing the leakage of lubricant past the armature supporting bearings into the motor chamber 318 of motor housing 363. The forward wall of front portion 365 of the motor housing 363 is provided with a pair of openings 319, one in front of each armature shaft 315 and 316, which are closed by covers 388. The armature shafts 315 and 316 at their forward ends and immediately behind the openings 319 carry pinion gears 381 and 382, respectively, which are secured to the armature shafts by keys 383 l4 and nuts 284. Shaft 312 is tiored longitudinally at 385 and at 386 to form conduits for hydraulic fluid which fluid, as hereinafter described, operates the expansionmechanism of the head of the drill or boring tool 381 of the combination rotary drill and hydraulically expandible coal breakdown device 18. The rearend 388 of shaft 312, as previously described. extends through the rear wall of rear motor housing portion 364. End 388 of shaft 312 is grooved circumferentially at 389 and this groove connects directly with bore or conduit 385. The rear end 388 of shaft 312 is circumferentially grooved at each side of circumferential groove 389 to receive suitable hydraulic fluid sealing devices such as O-rings 398.

' Bore or conduit 386 extends through the rear end of shaft portion 388. Fitting closely over the rear end of shaft 312 is a cap or cover 391 having a central bore which closely surrounds the shaft portion 388 and which is secured to the rear wall of motor housing portion 364. A hydraulic fluid conduit 392 in the side wall of cap or cover 381 connects with the circumferential groove 389 for conducting hydraulic fluid to or from bore 385 in shaft 312 and a hydraulic fluid conduit 393 in the end wall of cap or cover 391 connects with the bore or cond-uit 386 of shaft 312. Motor armatures 315 and 316 are driven in the same direction to drive the gear 313 which in turn drives the shaft 312, the forward end of which is threaded to receive the drill or boring tool 381. The cap 391 co-operates with the rear end portion 388 of shaft 312 to provide a hydraulic fluid transfer device in which the hydraulic conduits 392 and 393 will remain in constant communication with their respective bores or conduits 385 and 386.

It will be seen that the spaced arrangement of the motor armature shafts which is here employed permits the construction of a relatively thin rectangular motor having a high power rating and-the motor, because of its thinness, permits a drill or boring tool carried by its main shaft to be operated quite close tothe ceiling of a mine room.

The drill or boring tool 381 includes a shaft or shank 395 having an internally threaded cuplike portion 384 at its rear end adapted to be threaded upon the forward end of motor shaft 312. Drill shank 395 includes longitudinal bores or hydraulic fluid conduits 385', 386 which connect with the conduits 385 and 386 in the motor shaft 312 and suitable sealing devices such as O-rings are provided in the rear end of cuplike portion 394 at 396 and 391. Wrapped about and welded to the drill shank 39-5 is a suitable flute or conveyer member 398, the function of which is to remove rearwardly cuttings or borings from a bore bein formed by the tool to prevent jamming or binding of the drill in the bore. The front end of drill shank 395 is threaded at 399 to receive the hydraulically expandible head mechanism and cutter bit holder 488 of the drill or boring tool 381.

Portion 488 of the drill or boring tool 381 includes a flat forwardly extending cutter bit and pilot drill holder portion 481 which carries four staggered forwardly outwardly extending or fanned cutter bits 482 and a central pilot drill 483 which extends forwardly of the cutter bits 482. When boring tool 381 is rotated upon its longitudinal axis and fed to bore into solid coal the pilot drill 483 functions in a normal manner to drill or bore a lead opening of small diameter in the coal. Because the cutter bits 482 are fanned in staggered relation the cutting edge of each of aeaaoao l them lies upon a difl'erent radius from the longitudinal axis of the boring tool 001 and pilot drill 400 and each cutter bit rotates to cut into the coal in a separate path. The path of the outermost cutting edge of the outermost cutter bit 40: determines the diameter of the bore which will be cut by the boring tool 001.

Rearwardly of the cutter bit and pilot drill holder 40| the expandible head and cutter bit holder 400 includes a cylinder 404 in which there is a cylindrical boss 408. A hollow piston 400 fits within cylinder 404 and over the boss 405 and its inner end is provided with a flange 401 that carries sealing mechanism 400 by which it is made fluid tight with the cylinder 404. The outer end of cylinder 404 is closed by a sealing ring 409 which surrounds the head of piston 408 and is threaded and locked to the body of head 400. It will be seen that the arrangement described provides a cylindrical chamber 0 between the sealing ring 409 and the flange 401 of piston 408. Hydraulic fluid is supplied to and exhausted from chamber 4 i 0 through the conduit 088' in the drill shank 005 and a conduit 4| in the head 400.

The inner end of cylindrical piston 400 is notched at 2 and the cylindrical boss 400 is grooved at 3 to permit the passage of hydraulic fluid under pressure from the area 4 behind the piston flange 401 to a chamber 4|! behind the head of piston 408. Hydraulic fluid is supplied to and exhausted from the area 4| 4 through a conduit 8 in the body of head 400 that connects with conduit 085' in drill shank 008. It will be seen that by this arrangement the area of the entire diameter of the piston is utilized to force the piston outwardly and yet substantially the entire outer cylindrical surface of boss 40! acts to guide the piston 408. As piston 400 moves outwardly under pressure of hydraulic fluid fed through conduits 000, 305' and 0, that fluid contained within-the cylindrical chamber 0 must necessarily be displaced and such fluid is displaced through conduits 4| I, 308' and 000. Piston 408 is returned to its inner position by hydraulic fluid supplied to chamber 0. Head 400 is sealed to the threaded end- 090 of drill shank 000 by suitable O-rings 4|1 which are retained in grooves therein and abut the end of drill shank 000. The expandible head and cutter bit holder is provided with a helical flute for conveying cuttings rearwardly when the boring tool is operating in a bore. This helical flute includes a thin front portion 0 adapted to collect cuttings immediatey behind the cutter bits 402 and to convey them rearwardly to the rear portion 4" of the flute which discharges the cuttings to the rear of the head portion 400 and to the conveyer flute 098 of the drill shaft or shank 000. The front and rear portions 4| 0 and 0 of the helical flute merge and the rear portion 4|! is considerably thicker, as seen in Fig. 13, than the front flute portion 4" for the purpose of providing a large bearing area or abutment surface against the wall of the bore for preventing sideward movement of the boring tool 001 when piston 408 is operated to break down solid coal.

It will, of course, be seen that to break down solid coal the bore is first formed therein by the boring tool and that the rotation of it is stopped before hydraulic fluid under pressure is supplied to the area 4 and chamber 4|! to force the piston 408 outwardly whereby its head will abut the wall of the bore opposite the wide rear flute portion 4 l 0 and that continued expansion or outward movement of the piston 400 will break or burst-the walls of the bore thus to fracture and break down the solid coal in which the mechanism is expanded.

.Attention is now directed particularly to Figs. 1, 2, 9 and 10 of the drawings and to the construction of the receiving, discharge, or elevator conveyer 40. As seen, particularly in Figs. 2, 0 and 10 of the drawings, said receiving and discharge conveyer 40 is provided at its forward end, which is positioned largely above the aforedescribed sloping top plate 22 of the main frame 20, with a bottom plate 0| which extends transversely between a pair of upright side plates 00 (see particularly Fig. 9), which side plates 02 are welded to said sloping top plate 22. Above the bottom plate 0| is a false bottom plate 00 likewise welded to the side plates 02, said false bottom plate 00 in fact forming the bottom of a receiving hopper 04 (see Fig. 9) adjacent the forward portion of said conveyer 48, said hopper 04 being additionally formed by sloping side plates 08 and upright side walls 08, all as best seen in Fig. 9 of the drawings.

As above indicated, the hopper 04 is formed rigidly with the main frame 20. Communicating with and extending rearwardly from the hopper 04 and in part forming a continuation thereof, is a two-section trough which is formed by a rear discharge trough forming boom 01 (see Fig. l) and intermediate conveyer section 00, the section 00 being pivoted with respect to the main frame 20 about a transverse horizontal axis provided by a pair of spaced pivot pins, one of which is seen at 09 in Fig. 2 of the drawings. In addition, the conveyer boom 01 is pivoted about a vertical or upright axis with respect to the conveyer section 00 so that the boom 01 can swing about said upright axis.

The conveyer section 00 includes a bottom plate 00 which is a continuation of the bottom plate 0|, and a false bottom plate 9| which is a continuation of the false bottom plate 03, the rear end of the bottom plate being enlarged and generally cylindrical in shape to provide a swinging support for the boom 01 which is supported thereon by a pivotal connection I00 and by rollers, one of which is seen at 92 in Fig. 1 of the drawings.

Swinging movement of the boom 01 about its upright axis is provided by a pair of hydraulic piston motors 93 and 94 (see Pics. 1 and 15) which are on opposite sides of the boom and which co-ooerate with a cable 95 attached at onposite ends to opposite sides of said boom 01 and at its center to the enlargement of the bottom plate 90 of the conveyer section 00.

Pivotal movement of the boom 01 and the conveyer section 00 to ether about the horizontal axis provided by the pivots, one of which is seen at 09, is effected by the hvdraulic piston motor 08 (see Figs. 1 and 15) attached at opposite ends to brackets on the enlargement of the bottom plate 00 and on the platform 42, respectively.

To convey the material received in the hopper 04 and discharge it over the rear head sprocket 01 of the boom 01, I provide an endless conveyer chain 90 provided with flights 09, the upper run of the chain 90 and the flights traveling successivel' over the false bottom plate 03 of the hopper 04, the false bottom plate SI of the conveyer section 00, and a continuation thereof which is provided in boom 01 and forms the bottom plate therefor, the return run of said conveyer traveling between said false bottom plates and the bot- 

